Hyderabad: A Visakhapatnam-based businessman fled from Taj Banjara Hotel in the upscale Banjara Hills area in Hyderabad without paying room rent bills, amounting to Rs 12 lakhs.

After realising that he had duped them, Taj Banjara Hotel General Manager Hithendra Sarma filed a criminal complaint in the Banjara Hills Police station.

The businessman named Akkimsetti Sankar Narayan, was a resident of Sagar Deep apartments at Kirlampudi Layout in Visakhapatnam, who had come to Hyderabad on business purposes last year.

On April 4, he requested the hotel to rent out a single room on a long-term basis as he was on business purpose in the city. On that day they allotted Room number 405 to him and he had also paid part amount of Rs 13.62 lakhs of the bill amount.

After gaining their confidence, he kept delaying the rest of the payment. On April 15 this year he locked the room and left the place without informing them. As days passed, he was untraceable, raising doubts in the hotel management that he had absconded.

For the 102 days of his stay the total bill was Rs 25,96,693 , out of which he made a part payment of RS 13, 62,149.The balance amount was Rs 12,34, 544.

After fleeing without paying the balance amount, his phone was also switched off, making it difficult for them to trace him, hence the hotel management filed a criminal complaint with police.

The police have registered a case under Section 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 427 of the IPC and have started search operations to locate the accused.